Department of Park Operations Division of Natural Resources Landscaping for Biodiversity with Ohio Native Plants: A Species Guide for Plantings. Cleveland Metroparks Technical Report 2017 NR/02 Bruce G. Rinker, Daniel T. Moore, Debra K Berry Brian M. Zimmerman Board of Park Commissioners Executive Director-Secretary Cleveland Metroparks 4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, Ohio 44114 This page is left intentionally blank 1 Appropriate citation: Hausman, Constance E., Sarah R. Eysenbach, John E. Reinier and Michael F. Breth. 2017. Landscaping for Biodiversity with Ohio Native Plants: A Species Guide for Plantings. Cleveland Metroparks Technical Report 2017/NR-02. Division of Natural Resources, Cleveland Metroparks, Parma, Ohio Cover photos beginning top left clockwise: Native plant rain garden (photo by: Jennifer Grieser), Carpenter Bees on Swamp Milkweed (photo by: Tim Krynak), Native plant rain garden (photo by: Jennifer Grieser) Ohio Buckeye Butterfly on New England Aster (photo by: Tim Krynak) 2 Landscaping for Biodiversity with Ohio Native Plants: A Species Guide for Plantings. Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life and connectedness among species. Incorporating native plants into the landscape provides natural beauty and enhances beneficial interactions by creating habitat, food, nest sites, pollen and nectar sources for various wildlife including pollinators and birds. Our native plants are best adapted to local environments. These adaptations allow plants to have significant impact on local ecosystem services. These ecosystem services include: provisioning (providing food, clean water and fiber), regulating (climate regulation, stormwater management), supporting (nutrient and water cycling) and cultural (gardening, education in nature). In recent years, there has been significant decline in pollinator populations. Bumblebees and butterflies including Monarchs have suffered dramatic, declining populations in the last 20 years. The causes of decline are attributed to many environmental stressors including; habitat fragmentation, loss of adequate food resource, climate change and unusual weather patterns, pesticides, diseases and pests. Native plants are a good option for providing the necessary habitat, pollen, nectar and foliage to support pollinators. Even the smallest parcel in an urban backyard can provide beneficial habitat. The suggested lists of native plants will enhance any landscape planting and provide beneficial ecosystem services. This document is applicable for any type of native planting. Users of this resource can range from professional landscape designers, urban foresters and consultants to novice homeowners and garden club members. The species included represent a variety of forms and are organized into six tables: Table 1. Forbs Table 2. Grasses, Sedges and Rushes Table 3. Ferns Table 4. Vines Table 5. Shrubs Table 6. Trees 3 Species included in each table represent generalized plant characteristics and are sorted by various attributes. Note that while various resources were consulted to develop this list, some level of subjectivity is inherent when making a suggested list of plant species. Tables 1-5 Organization: Each table is sorted by size (height), light tolerance, and bloom time. 1. Height class. From shortest to tallest. o Low (under 1 foot) o Medium (1-3 feet) o Tall (3-6 feet) o Extra tall (> 6 feet) 2. Light tolerance. Included as either a constrained light environment or a rage of tolerance. o Full sun o Full sun to (Partial shade) to (Shade) o Partial shade o Shade 3. Bloom times. Duration of flowering may fall within a range, but is unique for each species o Spring (April-May) o Late Spring (May-June) o Summer (June-August) o Fall (August- October) Tables 1-5 also includes attributes describing each species bloom color, soil moisture tolerance, Wetland Indicator Status and Coefficient of Conservation (CofC) (Andreas et al. 2004). The CofC value is assigned to each species based on the range of their ecological tolerance and is scored from 0 to 10. The higher the CofC value, the greater a species habitat specificity and narrower ecological tolerance range will be. (See NOTES section below for additional information) Table 6 (Trees) Organization: Native tree species are sorted by their overall tolerance to a variety of urban stress. 1. Relative tolerance to urban stress. o High (Can successfully adapt to a variety of urban conditions) o Medium (Can adapt to a few urban conditions) o Low (Will not grow well in urban conditions) Table 6 also includes generalized characteristics and tolerance levels for various stressors common in urban and landscaped environments including salt tolerance, soil compaction, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, and soil pH. 4 Three additional tables provide definition or clarification for species attributes. Table 7. Describes wetland indicator categories as defined by the USDA (2008) Table 8. Describes soil moisture tolerance ranges. Table 9. Describes Coefficient of Conservatism (C of C) The diversity of species and forms included in this resource ensure native plant options for any planting environment. The selected species represent plants that are available for purchase from several Ohio native plant nurseries. Prior to using this document, please read the list of special considerations below. NOTE: 1. Caution should be used when considering a plant with a CofC value of 9 or 10 as these species have a very narrow range of ecological tolerances and may be challenging to establish and care for in a landscape environment. 2. Species highlighted in yellow are state listed in Ohio as extirpated, endangered, threatened or potentially threatened. Please consider carefully the source of seed or propagules and be aware that these species may not always be appropriate. 3. Species highlighted in blue are recommended native plants by the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership (LEAP) www.leapbio.org 4. When purchasing native plants, ensure that the scientific name matches the plant you are buying. Note that common names are sometimes used for more than one species and that species names do change over time. The most recent list of plant species in Ohio can be found at: www.epa.ohio.gov/Portals/35/401/LU_Veg_Species.html Web Resources: To locate a native plant nursery: http://leapbio.github.io/nurseries/ http://npn.rngr.net/resources/directory For more information on native plants and please visit http://www.wildflower.org/plants-main http://web4.audubon.org/bird/at_home/PlantNativeSpecies.html 5 Table of Contents Table 1: Ohio native forbs species list and traits. .......................................................................... 7 Table 2: Ohio native grasses, sedges and rushes species list and traits. ...................................... 17 Table 3: Ohio native fern species list and traits. .......................................................................... 22 Table 4: Ohio native vine species list and traits. ......................................................................... 24 Table 5: Ohio native shrubs species list and traits. ...................................................................... 25 Table 6: Ohio native tree species list and urban environment tolerance ratings. ........................ 28 Table 7: Definitions for the 5 wetland indicator categories as defined by the USDA (2008) ..... 32 Table 8: Broad definitions for the 5 categories of soil moisture tolerance .................................. 33 Table 9. Description of the coefficient of conservatism (C of C). ................................................ 34 Native Plant Resources and References ........................................................................................ 35 6 Table 1: Ohio native forbs species list and traits. These are generalized plant characteristics: variability occurs in height, bloom time, bloom color, soil moisture, and sun/shade tolerance. Plants listed as rare in the state of Ohio Native Plants of the Year as designated by LEAP Color Key for Plant Heights Low ( under 1ft) Medium ( 1 to 3ft) Tall ( 3 to 6ft) Extra Tall (over 6ft) Maximum Light Soil Moisture Wetland Indicator Scientific Name Common Name Bloom Time Bloom Color C of C Height tolerance Tolerance Status Late Spring (May- Facultative Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone Low (1ft) Partial Shade White Wet-Moist 5 Jun) Wetland Asarum canadense Wild Ginger Low (0-1ft) Partial Shade Spring (Apr-Jun) Maroon Moist Facultative - 6 Facultative Calopogon tuberosus Grass-Pink Low (0-2ft) Full Sun Summer (Jun-Aug) Magenta Wet-Moist 9 Wetland + Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold Low (0-1ft) Full Sun Spring (Apr-May) Yellow Wet Obligate Wetland 6 Chrysogonum virginianum Golden Knees Low (<1ft) Partial Shade Spring (Apr-May) Yellow Dry Upland 6 Claytonia caroliniana Carolina springbeauty Low (<1ft) Partial Shade Spring (Mar-Jun) White, Pink Moist Facultative Upland 6 Claytonia virginica Spring Beauty Low (<1ft) Shade Spring (Mar-May) Pink Moist Facultative 2 Dicentra canadensis Squirrel Corn Low (0-1ft) Partial Shade Spring (Apr-May) White, Yellow Moist Upland 6 Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's Breeches Low (0-1ft) Shade Spring (Apr-May) White Dry Upland 6 Erythronium americanum YellowTrout Lily Low (0-1ft) Partial Shade Spring (Mar-May) Yellow Moist Upland 4 Full Sun to Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Low (<1ft) Spring (Apr-Jun) White Moist Facultative 1 Shade Late Spring (May- Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium Low (0-1ft) Partial Shade Pink, Lavender Moist Facultative 4 Jun) 7 Maximum Light